Department of Justice

Fort Lauderdale Resident Sentenced to 92 Years in Prison for Armed Robberies and Carjacking

Today, a Fort Lauderdale resident was sentenced to over 92 years in prison by United States District Senior Judge James I. Cohn, after having been convicted at trial of three armed robberies, a carjacking, and brandishing a firearm during the commission of each violent act.

De Andre Smith, 23, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was convicted by a trial jury on July 2, 2018, on all eight federal charges. Smith was sentenced to a total of 1,105 months in prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release.

According to the court record, on December 12, 2017, Smith brandished a firearm at an IT Tech in Fort Lauderdale, demanding software be placed on his computer. When the tech refused, Smith proceeded to beat the tech in the face with the firearm and then steal computer software. As a result of this beating, the tech eventually had to have one eye amputated.

On December 20, 2017, Smith carjacked a victim at gunpoint in Fort Lauderdale. Smith then immediately went to a Dunkin Donuts in Davie, jumped the counter and held the clerk at gunpoint, while demanding money. After obtaining money, Smith then left and went to a third location in South Florida, a Subway restaurant in Davie. There, at gunpoint, Smith again jumped the counter, demanded and stole money from the employees.

This case stems from Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that brings together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

Mr. Greenberg commended the investigative efforts of the ATF, FLPD and Davie Police Department in this matter. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jodi L. Anton and Francis Viamontes.